The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-01-29
OUR AMERICAN COURT.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-Fhe dinner
giving season at the White House has
begun. 1t is an interesting experience
to n good many people, for many of
those who have the honor to attend
these dinners this season have never
done so before. II is an experience for
Mrs. Cleveland aud also for number
of Cabinet people and families of the
members of Congress who will be the
guests of the President during the
winter. But few people even In Wash.
ington have much idea how these din.
ners are conducted. They are probably
the nearest approach to TO estate occa>
sions" that the informal methods of the
Republic present in q social way. They
begin at O'Clock and usually run until
near midnight. The guests probably
cit full three hours ut the table, and
with 4 dozen courses of eatables, and
as many kinds of drinkables, they arise
at near midnight In anything but q
condition for seeking repose during the
the remainder Of the night.
1t takes a good deal of hard work TO
plan and carry out one OF these state
dinners. In the first place there are 80
many people from whom to pick that
there is difficulty in making the proper
selections without leaving out Others
who will be offended II they are not
invited. Then there Is the more
difficult task o! selecting people who
will be agreeable to zach other. When
this Is done. and the Invitations sent
out, there comes the task Of arranging
their seats ut the table. This Is espec.
tally difficult If It Is dinner to Dip
lomats, for it is necessary in that case
to select for associates at the table
those who speak the same language.
OF course, in seating the people gen.
tleman is not seated with his wife as
his evening companion at table, but
with "some other mans wife," Then,
too, it is not permissible 10 seat the
couples so that gentleman will have
his wife, or lady her husband for a
neighbor on the other side. So the
arrangement Of seats at the table be-
comes a sort of fifteen fourteen puzzle,
which racks the brain of the unfortu-
nate subordinate at the White House,
who is given this duty. When the
arrangement at the table is completed
after perhaps days of work diagram
of the table Is completed and each
plato numbered.
| Then u card with a miniature copy Of
this diagram is provided for each gen.
tleman guest. On 1t Is written the
name of the lady who Is assigned 10
him for the evening, and tho numbers
of the seats assigned to him and lady.
This card is enclosed in Il small envel-
ope and his name written on the out
side. This is handed TO him as he
enters the White House. After he has
removed his wraps he opens ii and his
fate for the evening. There is no dOdg-
| ing it. 1t don't make particle of
difference whether the lady assigned to
him Is the one he would have selected
for an evening associate or not, he must
be contented with his assignment, and
after adjusting his cuffs and twiriing
his mustache ne is expected to hunt
her up, make himself known as her
appointed partner, and proceed 10
make himself agreeable to her.
The President aud his wife are ready
to receive their guests on their arrival
from the cloak rooms, and half hour
or so is spent In social chat in the East
room or in the smaller parlors, all Of
which have been decorated with tlows
ers and plants for the occasion. Means
time the Marine Band whose red coats
and silver Instruments decorate the
big vesiibule on the arrival Of guests, Is
discoursing music at great rate. or
course the guests are in evening dress,
low neck, short sleeves, swallow tailed
coats and diamonds. The long table In
the state dining.room Is loaded with
floral decorations. The centre piece is
usually a masterpiece of the florists art.
J, An eloquent corsagc boquet is laid
N, tho ,,lata of every lAuy. and n bud
at the plate Of each gentleman. The
flowers for these occasions cost thou
3 sands of dollars. The dining room is
3 brilliantly lighted with gas from the
crystal chandelier overhead and the
elegant sconses on the walls, and be-
sides this the gold candelebra on the
;. table bear beautifully tinted wax can
e dies (each with tiny shade at the
n top) which, when lighted, give beau
tifui effect. a card Is placed on each
plate bearing tho uame OF the person
y who is to occupy the scat.
J., At about $50 comes the signal fol
q the grand march to the dinipg-room
the President giving his arm TO th'
:, lady he is TO escort to the table, lead
the way through the long and brilliant
2. ly lighted corridor toward the stat
y dining. room, and the others follow i!
j. couples, arm in arm. The band play
"Haii to the Chief" and the process
:, sion moves slowly and with the great
" est OF dignity down the corridor to tn
8. dinipg-room. Each gentleman beiDi